The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011

2011 is a celebratory year for Jane Austen and her legion of fans. It marks the bicentenary of her first published novel, Sense and Sensibility. Since 1811, we have been enjoying her romantic, dramatic and witty story filled with divergent characters – the Dashwood sisters: cool, practical Elinor and emotional, impulsive Marianne, and the men in their lives: stoic Edward Ferrars, staid Colonel Brandon and rakish Willoughby. There is much to praise in this novel which has inspired many movie adaptations, book sequels and spinoffs.

The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011

We are very pleased to announce the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011. If you have not read Jane Austen’s masterpiece or would like to revisit it in honor of its significant anniversary, seen all of the movies or read all of the sequels and spinoffs, this is the year to join the challenge along with other Janeites, historical fiction readers and period drama movie lovers.

Challenge Details

Time-line: The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011 runs January 1, through December 31, 2011.

Enrollment: Sign up’s are open until March 1, 2011. First, select your level of participation. Second, copy the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011 graphic and include it in your blog post detailing the novels or movies that you commit to reading and watching in 2011. Third, leave a comment linking back to your blog post in the comments of this announcement post. If you do not have a blog you can still participate. Just leave your commitment to the challenge in the comments below.

Check Back Monthly: The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011 officially begins on Wednesday, January 26, 2010 with my review of the novel The Three Weismanns of Westport. Check back on the 4th Wednesday of each month for my next review in the challenge.

Your Participation: Once the challenge starts you will see a tab included at the top of Austenprose called Reading Challenges. Click on the tab and select the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011. Leave a comment including the name of the book or movie read or viewed and a link to your blog review. If you do not have a blog, just leave a comment about your selection that you finished with a brief reaction or remark. It’s that easy.

The Prizes

Oh, of course there are prizes! There will be giveaways each month of the book or movie that I review in the challenge here on Austenprose to be drawn from comments left with each post, and one lucky Grand Prize Winner of all 12 titles tucked into a Jane Austen tote bag ($200.00 value) to be drawn from comments left at any and all of the reviews left on this blog or yours. Yes, that means that your readers who comment on your challenge reviews have a chance to win too. Winners will be announced monthly two weeks after each blog post, and the Grand Prize winner will be announced on January 05, 2012. Shipment to US or Canadian addresses only.

So, make haste and join the challenge today. I am so looking forward to revisiting Jane Austen’s classic tale through her eyes and others. Here is a list of possibilities for your reading and viewing selections:

A wonderful way to resolve to celebrate this bicentennial! For the New Year can we also resolve to pay attention to the distinction between the possessive ‘apostrophe s’ and the plural ‘no-apostrophe s’ – as in Brandon’s and 3 Weismanns… Whew!

Haven’t read any other version except for the Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. I would love to recommend Sense and Sensibility (1995) adaption starring Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant and Kate Winslet. It is such a beautiful movie and definitely my favourite.

Laurel Ann, you amaze me! You are in for one big year! I love these Jane Austen challenges. I also love the graphics, nice work Katherine! I will most definitely join this one, post will go up in a few days!

Oh my God Laurel Ann! That’s such a wonderful idea!
I was waiting the holidays season finish to ask the bloggers to start montly posts about Sense and Sensiblity, but your idea is fantastic! really nice!

Hi Adriana, this is a reading and viewing challenge, so a bit different than a blog tour. People sign up and choose which books and movies they want to read/view and write a blog review or leave comments about them when they complete each one in their challenge. It is ongoing throughout the year and not a set date. I hope that is helpful. Laurel Ann

I’m shamed into saying I’ve never read Sense & Sensibility. I’ve been completely awed and enrapture with P&P for the last decade that I haven’t read S&S yet, so I’m definitely joining this challenge and going for the neophyte level.

Elsie, I am really looking forward to your comments on Brightsea. I have had this novel sitting on my shelf for a couple of years. I am intrigued. It was written in the 1980’s I think, and out of print, so even more of a mystery.

I’m in! What a great idea. I’m especially looking forward to it because I’ve read a lot of Pride and Prejudice updates and sequels, but few S&S stories. My post about this challenge will publish on Jan. 13th.

Count me in! This is my third blog reading commitment for 2011 so I’m going to be busy reading Jane Austen and related books! This past year was the first year I even knew any of you existed and it has enriched my journey through Austen all the more. I didn’t even realize there was an annotated S & S. I loved the P & P one so I’m sure I’ll gain even more from this one. Thank you so much!

Oops, I forgot I had picked Brightsea! Seeing if I can get it from the library now! But the others: so good to re-watch the movies. Often I’ve resorted to my favorite clips of movies to save myself watching some of the heartbreak but then of course I’m losing the overall depth of the story. Really liked From Prada to Nada, actually, and I’ve become a big Camilla Belle fan! (I really want her jacket from her 2nd last scene!). Colonel Brandon’s Diary was of course amazing!

Having just finished my wrap up (ie. biting off more than I can chew) for Everything Austen II, this seems to be the best thing to do next. It took me a while to warm up to S&S (all those many years ago), but it has become a perennial favorite of mine. I’ll start working on my list now!

O.K. I certainly can’t resist this one. Put me down as an aficionada, though I do not yet know which books/movies I’ll review. Though I have read/seen most of the options, I look forward to using this as an opportunity to review those I have not previously commented on, but I’m most excited to fill in the blanks with those that I am currently unfamiliar with. In particular, I am ecstatic to learn that Shaphard is coming out with an annotated S & S! One question – am I correct in my understanding that it is only the grand prize which those who comment on participating blogs will be entered? Very enthused, Laurel Ann. This will be great fun.

I had to sign up for this one as well, at least four of them were on my list of things I wanted to read/watch anyhow, so I might as well make an official challenge of it, and maybe I will get even more read this way!!

You know, the last thing I need is a reading *challenge*–it’s not like I have time to read the books I already have! (AND YET I KEEP DOWNLOADING MORE HALLLLP) But I was thinking…I’m re-reading S&S anyway for my book group and to prepare for the JASNA AGM…I’ll be seeing From Prada to Nada, naturally…I downloaded Eliza’s Daughter when Sourcebooks had their freebie day…oh heck. I’m in. :-)

It’s great we can share this celebration about S&S :). I think it will be a nice idea! I am going to propose it in our forum (El Salón de Té), so we can see and comment at least, some adaptations (we have read the book previously in our book club)

I’m not sure how I’m going to fit this in, but I’m going to go for aficionada! I just finished a reread of Suspense and Sensibility. I love the Bebris books because even thoughthe plots are implausible, she has a great understanding of the characters and especial of the Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy relationship.

I have my list posted and I am ready to go! I’m looking forward to spending more time with the characters from S&S. I wish I could find a copy of Ms. Brown’s novel. I am anxious to see if any one reviews it!

As a librarian and lifetime member of JASNA I feel it’s my duty to be an “aficionada”. I use goodreads.com and I have a special “janeite” shelf where I put all the books relating to Jane. I believe I should be able to provide the link to my reviews or at least to my goodreads account.

I’m in at the Disciple Level (5-8 books/movies). Don’t have a website but I’ll post on Facebook. I’m looking over the list now and will pick my 8 soon. THis is the first times I’ve heard of some of these book – so many to choose from and so little time. I’m excited and can’t wait to start!

What a truly grand idea. Having also just committed to embracing the “deep reading” movement in this coming year, this provides a wonderful practice field. I appreciate the innovation, creativity and enthusiasm here at AustenProse. It only shows that truly timeless material does not have to suffer with the dawning of new technologies. I salute my fellow participants and anticipate the reading and commentary to come.

I love this. I will sign up after I review your selections a little more. I’ve already started the Marvel Comic version. Fun!
I must just add that the button for this challenge is gorgeous. I can tell it will be one of those I never want to remove from my sidebar.
FUN!

Hi Heather – thanks so much for your excellent first contribution to the challenge. There are pages for the reviews and links to each S&S inspired book or movie. You can find the one for reviews of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters the link listed below. Do you mind posting your link there? We are of keeping them organized together for quick reference. Thanks, LA

Now because I am not a morning person or perhaps just an illiterate Steele sister…where do you keep the book links to post reviews under? Excuse my ignorance, I am sure I’m missing something that is right under my nose!

Hi Lucy, click on the tab at the top that says Reading Challenges. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select The Sense and Sensibility Challenge 2011. From the list of books and movies select Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Leave a comment and a link to your review. So sorry if this is confusing. Thanks so much for your participation.

Wow, this is great! I haven’t read Jane and decided to read her this year, so this will definitely give me great exposure to her. I don’t have a blog but will comment her.
Count me in, I am off to the library to get S&S. I am sure that you realize I am a neophyte but am hoping to be a disciple by the end of the year.

Create your most expansive list from whatever sources, Grace, and I suspect your public library can get most, if not all, from interlibrary loan programs. That, at least, has been my own happy experience.

do luv your challenge & have posted details at FHC on Jane’s special page ~ thank you!
i am choosing Persuasion and S&S for books at this point~
and each movie of Jane’s books [that are avlbl locally]
{not meaning every version!}
Persuasion
S&S
P&P
Emma
Mansfield Pk
Northanger Abbey
adding me to the disciple category at minimum, possibly into afficionada , if i find duplicates of the movies in different years, or so i’m thinking …
thanks Laurel Ann!
you’ve made us most welcome!!

Hi Faith Hope and Cherrytea, welcome to the Sense and Sensibility Reading Challenge. Looking over your list, I wanted to point out that this is a S&S based challenge. You have other Jane Austen books and movies listed. It is wonderful if you want to read/watch them, but they would not qualify for this challenge. The list of some of the S&S reading/viewing possibilities is within the post. You can select from those or find new ones. They just need to be S&S inspired.

oops ~ thx for the correction ~ this is a first for me, so i’ll change it to the S&S movie versions, as many of your listings as locally avlbl, THE book “), and enough alternates to fit the disciple category.. will be updated here THX for your patience…

Hi, I discovered this challenge through Alice’s french blog (Alice registered as n°46). I’m french too, a writer of novels for teenagers… and a reader of Jane Austen, of course.
I would like to join in the challenge as a disciple, and I will try to comment:
– the 1995 movie
– the 2008 movie
– From Prada to nada
– The screenplay and diaries
– the Marvel adaptation
– Brightsea
You can find a link to my blog here:

Well, I delved into Sense and Sensibility this week to start of the challenge and am thoroughly enjoying it. So glad this was on my Bucket list. As for the Challenge, these are the books and movies I will read. Hopefully, I will be able to see the 2011 movies.

Hi Rachana, thanks and welcome. You can post your reviews at each of the pages I created for them. Just look at the top tab and click on Reading Challenges and follow the links to each of your titles. Enjoy! Laurel Ann

Good Afternoon, Laurel Ann.
I come to the challenge a bit late but, in the hours left someone may yet succeed me as ‘old maid.’
Although I’ve read Sense and Sensibility, I’ve never read any of the continuations / reinterpretations of the story as presented in the books and movies listed in your challenge.
I’ll be bold and list myself as an Aficionada if my list can follow with my next post once I discover which books / movies I can acquire.
Thanks for the challenge.
Gail

Hi Mariele, thanks for your enthusiasm. Your list is quite impressive. This is actually a Sense and Sensibility reading and viewing challenge, so only your first selection would qualify. You can read over the list of titles in the post above and select from those or others that are S&S related. You still qualify for the challenge with just one title, S&S, on your list.

It looks like I got here just in the nick of time for this one, but I’m in on this challenge, too. This time, I’m going to commit to the Aficionada level. My write-up on the challenge can be found here:

I’m waay too late to sign up but I’m playing anyhow — and I’m going to the 2011 JASNA AGM in Ft. Worth in October! Well, I’m planning on it, registration doesn’t start until May or June. But I’ve already booked my hotel room. I am all anticipation.